2026 Special Recognition Award recipients announced at PPA National Symposium

During the Perennial Plant Association’s 2026 National Symposium in East Lansing, Michigan, five perennial professional individuals were honored July 30 for their contributions to the industry with Special Recognition Awards.

Initiated in 1985 by PPA, the Special Recognition Awards program recognizes individuals or groups in unique perennial industry categories for their work.

The Emerging Perennial Professional Award was given to Chris Ruger, regional sales manager of North Creek Nurseries. This award recognizes an individual who is a talented and diligent newcomer to the perennial plant industry.

Ruger started his journey in the perennial world more than 10 years ago by joining Quality Greenhouses as a grower in the perennial department, eventually transitioning into the role of business development manager. At Quality Greenhouses, Ruger was always looking for opportunities to expand their market with new programs, ideas and product development.

In 2025, Ruger joined North Creek Nurseries as a regional sales manager and is now sharing his growing expertise across the Midwestern U.S., not just with other growers but with the landscape industry as well. 

Alongside his professional career, Ruger has been a member of the Perennial Plant Foundation Board of Trustees for several years, consistently bringing fresh ideas and thoughtful leadership to the organization. 

The Perennial Outreach and Education Award was given to the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Gardens. This award recognizes an individual or organization who has distinguished themselves by advancing perennial plants and the industry through education, advocacy, awareness, outreach or promotion.

The zoo's team of horticulturists go beyond just caring for and displaying plants. They cross the divide of engaging in the commercial level of horticulture through their trialing programs to promoting plants and gardening to the public.

Not only does the team promote plants gardening within the zoo, but they also have several outreach programs around the community doing installations of gardens at schools and inner-city communities.

In a partnership with the Cincinnati Reds Community Fund, the team installs a new community garden each year. New this year, the zoo will be installing a perennials trial of more than 90 varieties on top of the 600 varieties of annuals.

They are also doing collections and research on endangered native perennial varieties. They engage in pollinator research, employing students, the Buzz Troop, to photograph and collect pollinator formation and what plants are attracting what pollinators.

The Perennial Excellence Award was given to Steve Castorani of North Creek Nurseries. This award recognizes an individual or organization who has distinguished themselves through their contributions, skills and efforts related to herbaceous perennial plants and the perennial plant industry.

Castorani is the president and CEO of North Creek Nurseries in Landenberg, Pennsylvania. He and Dale Hendricks founded the nursery in 1988 with a focus on perennial plants grown as plugs, an uncommon practice at the time.

While not solely a native plant nursery, North Creek has been championing ecological plants and landscaping since their beginning. Its motto, “Where horticulture meets ecology,” speaks to this passion.

In that spirit, Castorani co-created the American Beauties Native Plants brand in 2004 to spread awareness of the benefits of native plants. He is a long-time member, sponsor and supporter of the Perennial Plant Association.

The 2026 Perennial Service Award was given to Shannon Currey, horticultural educator, content creator and education and outreach director of Izel Plants. The Perennial Service award acknowledges a Perennial Plant Association member for their service to the association and the horticulture industry.

Having worked in the nursery trade for more than 20 years, Currey has had a long career of service and education in the industry. She has developed expertise in grasses and sedges and expanded her knowledge into native perennials.

Currey has also written for national publications and traveled the country speaking to professional  organizations, community groups and at public gardens. She served on the board of the Perennial Plant Association and as trustee and later president of the Perennial Plant Foundation. She currently serves on the North Carolina Plant Conservation Scientific Committee and holds advisory roles with several organizations, including the Legislative Committee of the North Carolina Nursery and Landscape Association.

Alongside the 2026 winners, PPA also recognized a 2025 Perennial Service Award recipient, Holly Scoggins, associate professor emeritus of horticulture at Virginia Tech. A longtime Perennial Plant Association member, Scoggins has distinguished herself through her service and commitment.

Scoggins has devoted her professional skills and loyalty to PPA in several key roles, helping to shape and support the association for many years. In addition to serving as a regional director, she served as president-elect, president and past president.

During that time, she led policy changes in governance and membership structure that strengthened the organization. She facilitated active board involvement and helped develop new initiatives to engage members and grow the organization.

Scoggins is also invested in the future of PPA and the industry, serving on the board of the Perennial Plant Foundation both during her tenure on the PPA board and beyond. Her service and leadership have had an invaluable impact on the association. 

To learn more about the recipients and the awards program, visit  perennialplant.org/page/2026SpecialRecognitionWinners.